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No “Deal” With Saudi For Release Of Sharifs From Jail: Pak Minister

There was no “deal” between the governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for the release of jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members after a top court suspended their sentences in a corruption case, a senior Pakistani minister has asserted.

The Islamabad High Court Wednesday suspended the jail sentences of Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar in the Avenfield corruption case and they were released from the Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi.

“No country asked for his release. Nawaz Sharif is not so important for Saudi Arabia that they will talk about him,” Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said, rejecting the impression that the three-time former premier and his family members were released from jail under a “deal” between the Imran Khan-led government and Riyadh.

The Islamabad High Court’s verdict, ordering the release of the trio coincided with Prime Minister Khan’s visit to Saudi Arabia, giving